The strong stench of decomposing human remains makes me wrinkle my nose in disgust. I turn to look at Nate who does the same behind me. Even if the smell is horrible, is not that bad as Nate and I used to find a body that stinks worse than this one. The smell didn't stop us from finding the body, only speeding us up.
Hazard leads us deeper into the forest covered in Stygian gloom. We reach the dead body after what seems like eternity.
The scene is bloody, making me feel a little cold at the sight itself. If I'm not used to this, I would have thrown up by now. It is a body of a dead human girl. The body is on a huge stone by a large tree, angled unnaturally. Her glassy blue eyes stare up and her mouth hangs open as if she tried to beg her murderer for her life. Her clothes were covered in blood and torn.
I walk over towards the crime scene and close her fearful lifeless eyes. She would like that if she's watching up from heaven.
Her left hand is separated not far from her body. She has a lot of animal claw marks covering her body and this is no ordinary claw marks. No doubt a werewolf has done this. The damage is too much for an animal to do, except for a werewolf.
Nate begins searching the area for clues as I study the body. This is a usual routine for us. If the body is a male, we would exchange duties. Nate and I learn the basics of forensic anthropology when we were younger, which is one of the conditions for us to be left alone and not send us to an orphanage where we can live an ordinary life. It's either follow the rules or being sent away.
I try moving her right arm slowly. It is stiff but the blood is still warm. This means she has been murdered in less than 24 hours. There aren't that much insects that's starting to surround her body, except for the flies. Luckily, there are no sights of maggots on her.
This is the same way the other humans are killed as stated in the newspapers. No doubt this is the same rogue that killed three other humans and causes these 'mysterious killings'.
I look down at the girl again. She looks like a nice young girl and that thought makes me angry. She still has a long life to live but the stupid rogue killed her instead. Who knows how her life ended? It must be horrible to be killed at a very young age because you had dreams that you never achieve.
I promise myself that the rogue will die and death will arrive slowly yet painfully. I am going to enjoy listening to him scream for mercy...
"Melanie," Nate calls out.
I jog over towards him unconsciously. My mind is occupied with a hundred and one ways to kill the rogue who is responsible of destroying a girl's and three others' lives.
Nate holds up a small piece of fur. We can find the murderer by the colour of his fur. It is bright red. It's such a shame that we hunters are humans and we have no awesome sense of smell like werewolves or we could track down the murderer with the scent.
The good news is that the murderer can't be the black werewolf that attacked the werewolf girl earlier.
I touch the fur and feel it. It's rough, indicating that the murderer must be thick with fur. There are only signs of a lone rogue doing this, not a pack, thank God. A pack of rogues are difficult to dispose off.
From the corner of my eyes, I see a shadow moving in an inhuman speed.
I quickly lock an arrow to my bow, slowly approaching the shadows. Nate tags along behind me with a knife in his hands.
Then the shadow disappear, making me curse inwardly and continue to runs towards where it disappears to. I slow down when I see that the shadow belongs to a red werewolf running for his precious life. This is the very same rogue that killed the girl, I realize. The same killer that killed three other humans.
Stupid rogue. Who, in their right mind, would wander around the crime scene after murdering the victim? Unless, of course, their inner wolves take over and only acts on instinct, not logic.
I stop and aim before shooting an arrow at its hind leg. It howls in pain and the sound makes me feel powerful and invincible. I give him a creepy smile while walking up towards its fallen form. It takes a few steps back as close the distance between us. Before it can pounce on me, I shoot another arrow at its heart, right at its last heartbeat.
I shrug, not feeling guilty at all for killing someone. The rogue is not a someone to me after it had killed innocent people. It's just too bad that the rogue is lucky enough to die early. I want to torture him until begs to die just like he did with the human girl.
I turn around to face Nate, who looks surprised at the fury on my face. Nate is usually the one who ends lives, not me. My job is to weaken the rogues before Nate finishes the rogues off.
If I'm really angry though, I don't care about anything and finish the job once and for all.
Wow, that mutt has really pissed you off, he signs after he puts away his knives.
I keep away my bow and sign back, It killed a teenage girl. Of course I'm pissed off.
Is this the mutt that has been causing the ‘mysterious killings’?
I kick the dead body in the ribs. It can be. We’ll stick around for a little bit longer and if there are no more deaths, we’re moving to Great York. I heard there are more killings there than here.
Nate nods in agreement.
In the north, there are footsteps coming towards us. I groan out loud at that thought. Why is there a pack in Meadow Falls? Packs are nothing but hindrance!
The pack is coming, I sign at Nate. Thank God we have a way to conceal of scent. Hunter Headquarters had provided us with limitless bottles containing chemicals that wash our scent away for some time. This helps us to keep our identity a secret unless if we expose it ourselves.
At least they can make themselves useful by cleaning up our mess, Nate assures me when he notices my annoyed expression. Now that I think of it, he's right! The pack saved us from hours of disposing witnesses and evidence.
Maybe there are benefits of packs, after all.
Nate and I make our way home where Hazard greets us there. I remove my pilot shades with a grin.
Mission accomplish, bro, I sign, unlocking the front door and letting ourselves in.
He hums the Mission Impossible song that causes me to laugh. It makes me feel good that the girl's soul and three others' are now in peace after the death of their murderer. Hazard sits on my shoulder as I walk to the kitchen.
What do you want for dinner? I sign after feeding Hazard raw fish.
Let's order pizza, Nate suggests.
Okay.
I order a large cheese pizza and wait for 30 minutes for the pizza to arrive. We watch a silent scary movie called 'The Cemetery'. I didn't pay any attention to the movie because Nate's reaction is funny. He whimpers at the scary part and I laugh at him. He didn't hear me laugh so he wouldn't push me off the couch if he finds out. But when he turns to me, I would keep a blank face on the TV screen.
Nate, I sign after the movie ends.
What? he asks worriedly as he studies my horror face.
School tomorrow, I groan, then put my face into my palms.
I hear him chuckle. I look up and sees him signs, Good luck.
I scowl at his smart ass reply. That's all you can say?
He winces when I take a pillow and hit him. Then he takes another pillow and hit me in the face.
"Pillow fight!" Nate yells. I manage to hit him in the face so hard that feather starts to sprout out. I laugh at loud when I see his hair is like a bird's nest. Nate take my distraction in to his advantage by tackling be to the ground. I am still laughing so hard that I didn't feel the pain when I fall. I put my hands in the air, indicating surrender. He nods in approval before walking up to his room.
I make my way to my room too. Just give Nate a few more seconds before...
"Melanie! My hair!" Nate yells.
Author's Note
Picture of Cassie by the side. (She will be first be introduced in 'Vampire and Werewolf Captives' chapter)
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-M.